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Aridanne Annelli's Journal
I fear my sleep last night was not a restful one. My eyes opened with the first light of dawn peeking through the small window at the top of my prison. It's a rather ingenious little trap, I will admit. This window, unbarred, blatantly screaming "escape" until you notice the morbid graveyard of insects and some animals, rats and birds, along the window both inside and out. I wonder how many have met their death with that particular ward.
Living at the Citadel has made me complacent. From what I'm able to hear, there's a war going on. I have a feeling several of those at the Citadel were brought here. We're still on the island of Deganst I know. It's a couple days by boat to Dargethsa, the mainland. Actually, once I got to thinking about it, I'm pretty sure we're on Sutol, the smallest of the island chain surrounding Deganst. It was always rumored there was a ruined castle on the island (with a haunted torture room as well). Also, from some slight internal probing I am fairly certain both Thea and Hanna live. I am not sure why the bond I feel says there alive, when I saw Hanna fall from the wall to land beside me, obviously dead. But, her force, it is there.
I know my captors won't come for me this day, so I will simply wile away the horas lost in thought and dream analysis.
I've tried to shift in order to look out the window, blessed Mother, my shifting isn't magical. And the armies I see out there...
The men are very organized. I've read books on tactics and some novellas as well on army life. Patelin even told me stories that he heard from his father, who was in the army on the Mainland. There are half-elves and humans, that's to be expected. But they are allied with the likes of Dwarves, Minotaurs, and some I can not name yet. (I can tell by the slightness of body and by movement they're not the already mentioned, but with helms on, I cannot see)
I've even seen some pixies and fairies out and about with the army men. Obviously as healers and tenders, but why are they allied with the likes of these?
None of it makes any sense, yet I have a definate feeling that I'm about to be told many answers tonight, and part of me knows it will be answers given to an audience of Citadel.
I must keep up my strength. And I must practice all I can.
"Yer a lucky one wench, the Laird'll 'ave nuthin to do with ye this nite nor the next. ye's just better hope th' boys don't take a likin to yer pretty face."
Those are the elegant words of one of my captors. It seems I've escaped whatever judgement awaits me in this hell.
I've realized, while sitting here, that I have no true purpose for writing in this ledger, save my own sanity. I know not who will receive this journal I keep, though sketchy it may be. So, I figure introductions are in order before I continue on with my dream analysis.
My name, as I know it, is Aridanne Tylia Annelli. Most my life it's just been Ari. I was born just north of the Forest of Parthorn. To what parents? sadly, I don't know. I've always lived at the Citadel, and some of my elders are parents enough for me. I don't say I'm orphaned, because I've many mothers and fathers. I know I've some elven blood, that's fairly evident. I'm told I have human blood, but tis hard to know without proper parent-records, is it not?
I've grown to be a well accomplished Ranger-Mage. (Elder Deres said I should have followed a more clerical persuit...)
As for physical? I think I am one of the rather homlier girls at the Citadel. My hair is a mottled amber/bronze/gold. Not the gorgeous sunset of Bria's or the raven-black of Saitha's, or what I personally covet, the midnight blue of Rysta's. and my eyes? oh I have heard so many jokes about them. They are captivating in themselves, changing from amber to green to a deep green-blue, but they change separate of the other. (There's been times I've walked around with eyes of different colors. The teasing never ceased.)
And with half elven features. Oh well.
The thing I have always had on my side was my abilities, and the fact I has those few that surrounded me with love.
I have let myself wander there, now haven't I?
And the rest of my past? I've grown up in the Citadel. Elder Deres has hinted there's more to me, but I fear the chance to tell me never came.
The Citadel was taken over a week ago. I know that many escaped in time, it is just a matter of determining where they went. I was turning to track them when I was captured. I know the country's at war, but the Citadel was a sheilded, hallowed place.
Who would wage war on us? and why?
I'm shivvering now from the nighttime chill. I wish I dared extend the energy to warm myself. As of now, my belief is that my captors know not of my magical abilities, for I always run about in Ranger garb (Much to the dismay of Rysta, he much preferred I dress like a girl).
But there, now you know of me. I feel freer letting go of all the secrets I hold. I do not fear mine captors finding this journal. I have a rather unorthodox way of hiding it. Shape-shifting as a natural ability has it's benefits.
Oh, yeah, that's why we don't know what the other half it. I can shape-shift. Most humans can't. It's not well known, only few of the Elders knew. Shape-shifters are to be feared in this day.
Sleep is necessary, and I can feel the Dreamer pulling me into his arms.
It has been an interesting past few days my friends. I have only recently reclaimed my meager belongings from my captors. As I await my fate with some trepidation, and some apathy, I will recount my tale as best as possible. I have spent most of my memory to remembering a dream I had, so the rest of the past few days will seem uneventful.
I awoke the other day, after having left some of the taverns and watching some of the patrons therein, to the same dream I've had since the fire. I also awoke to find myself in what appeared to be a long deserted shack. Hazily my mind stumbled over the dream again and I let myself wander about it, because it was different in a sense.
So, as I began hunting the larders and pantries (with little hope I will add) for some sustenance, I began to wander my mind back into my dreamscape. (One of those days I was terribly glad my Elder ingrained the technique of subconcious reality into my head.)
--
I awoke in my dream in my old room, back at the Citadel. It was eerily normal. There was even Hanna's light breathing, and Thea's muted snores. Skittles was quietly purring and slumbering beside Thea, somehow immune to the noise of them both together. I rose out of the bed and went to them in their bunk. Twins, they had asked to be paired together, and I said it was alright, I could handle the tutoring of two so gifted children. They meshed with my own talents so well, and we indeed looked as if the Seamstress had cut us all three from the same Cloth. Thea's curled burnished gold tresses were a delightful match against Hanna's vibrant light coppery curls, and their eyes, both wide and the color of the lake we would venture to, not far from Citadel, it's depths a cool, knowing green/blue mix. A smile widened my lips as I watched them, my hand reaching up to my own curly locks, a color of fired amber. Seeing their faces was almost like looking into a mirror.
In sleep, they moved the same, they breathed the same. A bond between them utterly unbreakable. A bond they had welcomed me into and made me a part of. My Elder believes there is something more than what we see in our resemblance, but I have told him it is nothing, that most women from our forest are colored the same. But part of me fears that he is right, for he has that look in his eyes. That look that speaks of riddles and things told long ago.
---
I hear my fate clanking down the hall. I must hold my dream in my thought-box, and meditate more upon it later.
*sighs softly and tucks her hair behind slightly pointed ears*
The days seem limited, but endless at the same time. I've wandered in and out of the Jaded Tavern a time or two, simply to watch the people that inhabit this strange land I've been shoved out into.
The animal inhabitants of the island are nice enough, though being a Ranger-Mage has its benefits there. I've kept my training up and my other skills both magical and physical as well.
I need to spend more time trying to get used to my new surroundings and leave my past behind me. I do so miss the wonderfulness of the family I had, and part of me hopes to someday encounter them once more. *slight shudder* But everytime it seems I close my eyes, I can see the burning walls, hear the screams of the children, and more hauntingly, I see Hanna's slight frame tumble over the wall to land scant feet away from me. I must toughen myself and my soul for the journey to come.
It will indeed be a long road. Mayhaps if I write more of my memories here, they will be lessened, and easier to take.
Current mood: determined.
There comes a time in each child's life when she stumbles out the door and plans her own journey. The shelter of what family she's known can be no more when she's pushed out and made to fend on her own.
The haven that I called home for so long was ransacked by slavers, and many of us escaped with barely our lives. Now, I'm an entertainer, or sorts. This is where i will chronicle my life.
Go if you must, stay if you will, but know that you are always welcome.
Slainte.